Railway coupler aligning apparatus



July 27, 1965 D. WILLISON RAILWAY COUPLER ALiGNING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 28, 1962 INVENTOR. 00/14410 Mil/50% July 27, 1965 D. WILLISON RAILWAY COUPLER ALIGNING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 28, 1962 '5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 0044410 W/ZZ/fifi/V y 27, 1965 D. WlLLlSON 3,197,037

RAILWAY COUPLER ALIGNING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 28, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 United States Patent 3 197 037 s war coiJPLnn AiiGNrNo arranarns Donald Willison, Lyndhurst, Ghio, assignor to National Castings Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Dec. 28, 1962, Ser. No. 24%,095 Claims. (Cl. 213-21) This invention relates to a mechanism in the draft rigging of railway vehicles exerting forces through the couplers thereof tending to restore vehicles to a common longitudinal alignment. Such draft rigging comprises for example, a center-sill draft-gear pocket, a draft gear, a yoke 0r tail bolt, and a coupler. These components of a draft rigging have been especially arranged and con structed to produce what is known in the trade as alignment control mechanisms. Various types of such mechanisms are known.

The present invention is directed to overcoming the difificulty of providing alignment control for adjacent coupled vehicles while also providing facilities within the draft rigging permitting the head of an uncoupled coupler to be manually swung sideways into an angled position. At this position, it may be coupled with an opposing coupler in off-center relation with the vehicle carrying the angled coupler. The advantages of draft rigging constructed so as to provide substantial vehicle-aligning forces are well known and are particularly apparent in severe train braking or heavy pushing operations on straight as well as non-linear track. Effective alignment control reduces wheel-flange wear, railhead wear, journal hearing wear and heating, and tendency of cars to jackknife. Vehicle aligning apparatus in particularly advantageous in operating trains of two-axle vehicles because of short wheel bases and long car overhang beyond the axle. When cars equipped with present alignment control mechanisms are uncoupled, the couplers are held in centered position by forces exerted thereon, usually by a draft gear of the center buffing type, of such a magnitude as to substantially preclude any possibility of manual manipulation of the coupler. The need for being able to move the coupler into a sidewise angled position by reasonable manual effort occurs when coupling one coupler with an opposed coupler which is not centered over the track. This occurs, for example, when coupling two vehicles on a curve.

Hence, the main object of the invention is to provide draft rigging having horizontal coupler-aligning mechanism which can come into play under buff loads but has structure enabling free swinging of the coupler at relaxed or uncoupled condition of the rigging.

Another object is to provide for manual angling of couplers in draft riggings having alignment control mechanisms and in which the draft gears may be of articulated types as well as single cushion types.

These objects and others incidental thereto are achieved in draft rigging comprising a draft gear pocket in the car containing a draft gear resting therein with its front follower normally engaging the front stops; a coupler comprising a head and a shank with the latter having a rear end surface forming rearward-facing shoulders at each side of the longitudinal axis of the coupler; a rigid draw and follower means, such as a yoke or tail bolt, and an associated follower member functioning usually as the rear follower for a cushion disposed frontwardly thereof extending from the coupler to the rear end of the draft gear into enaggeable or working relation with a rearward-facing surface of the gear or rear follower thereof; member of the draft and follower means; and a spring or other resilient means supporting the yoke or tail bolt in subtsantially engaged relation with the follower member.

3,197,037 Patented July 27, 1965 "ice The invention arises primarily in the draw and follower means, particularly, a draw member thereof, being of a length relative to that of the draft gear to dispose the couplers shank shoulders at a predetermined clearance frontwardly of opposed front-facing surfaces of the front follower when the draft rigging is in a neutral condition. This condition occurs, for example, with the absence'of a buff force on the coupler, i.e., a force directed inwardly of the rigging when the draft gear is in its normally expanded state permitted within the draft gear pocket.

In one preferred embodiment, the connection between the yoke and the coupler is constructed to permit relative movement between the yoke and the coupler which is resisted by a spring system reacting between the front follower and the coupler.

In the drawings with respect to which the invention is described below:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a draft rigging in which top sill sections are cut away to expose coupler draft gear and yoke structure.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal elevation in section taken along line IIII of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of a modified draft geararrangement providing spring mechanism which may be substituted for a portion of the articulated draft gear of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a front yoke used in the apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a front follower normally positioned inside the yoke of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of an upper corner fragment of the yoke of FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a draft gear-yoke assembly including the yoke and front follower of FIGS. 4 and 5, respectively.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary elevation in section taken along line VIII-VIII of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of one of two rear spring seats used in the assembly of FIG. 7.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of one of two pin bearing locks used in the assembly of FIG. 7.

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary plan view with a top portion of a center sill removed illustrating another type of yoke equipped draft rigging in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 12 is a side view of the apparatus of FIG. 11 shown with a side wall of the center sill removed.

FIG. 13 is a plan view of a modified tail bolt-equipped draft rigging with a top wall of the center sill removed.

FIG. 14 is a side view of the apparatus of FIG. 13 with aside wall of the center sill removed.

FIGS. 1 and 2 are assembly views of one of the three main embodiments of the invention to be hereinbelow described. In these figures, a center sill 5 has stop means, such as rear stops 6 and front stops 7, defining a draft gear pocket containing a draft gear and yoke assembly 8. For convenience of description and definition, the assembly 8 comprises a rear unit 9 and a front unit 10. The rear unit comprises a cushion 12, a rear follower 14 normally engaging the rear stops 6, and a rear yoke 15 having an integral front follower 16 and a strap portion 17 in relatively movable and encircling relation with the cushion 12 and the rear follower 14. The front unit It! comprises a cushion 18, a front follower 19 normally engaging the front stops 7, and draw and follower means, such as a front yoke 24}, having an integral rear follower 2i normally engaging the front follower 16 of the rear unit 9. The front yoke 24?, shown separately in FIG. 4 and in subassembly in FIG. 7 has a head 22 defining an opening extending in the longitudinal direction of the rigging through the head. This opening normally receives the rear end portion 25 of a coupler 26 having its head 27 disposed exteriorly of a striking member 28 fastened to the front end of the sill 5.

The coupler 26 is of conventional construction, and as shown, provides a generally vertical bore through the rear portion of the shank 25a for a pin 38 extending also through upper and lower bores in the head 22 of the yoke 20. Thecoupler shank provides a cavity 38a which receives an 'exteriorly partially spherical bearing block 32 along the rear side of the cavity cooperating with the front side of the cavity to form the bore for the pin 38. The ability of the bearing block 32 to swivel within the shank allows a limited range of universal angling movement of the coupler relative to the pin 38. The bores of the yoke head in which the pin 30 is received are defined partly by upper and lower arcuate surfaces 34, 35 (see FIG. 4) and by a pair of bearing blocks 36 and 37 (see FIGS. 2 and The latter serve also as seats for a pair of springs 33 and 39. Each bearing block is provided with a boss 41 projecting rearwardly from its rear side.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the yoke head 22 and integral rear follower portion 21 are connected by a top wall 44 and a bottom wall 45. This leaves the sides of the yoke open for'transverse extension therethrough of the follower 19 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 7. The follower is thus free to move in the longitudinal direction of the yoke as a consequence of draft gear expansion and contraction.

The walls 44 and 45 are formed with slots 47 and 48, respectively, which are elongate in the longitudinal direction of the rigging and terminate in the arcuate bearing surfaces 34 and 35, respectively. Along approximately the forward half of the slot and at each side thereof, the walls 44 and 45 each comprise opposed inwardly extending tongues. For example, in FIGS. 6 and 7 the wall 44 has flanges or tongues 50 and 51 extending horizontally toward the center of the slot. The tongue 50, e.g., terminates in a front end portion 50a of greater width. Three other similar tongues, 51, 52 and 53, together with the tongue 50, are arranged in upper and lower pairs. The upper pair of tongues 50, '51, by way of example, are horizontally opposed and generally parallel for providing vertical support of the upper bearing block 36 and a rear spring seat 55. A similar spring seat 56 and the bearing block 37 are supported in the lower slot 48.

As shown in FIG. 9, the spring seat 55 has grooves 58 and 59 which normally receive rear portions of the tongues 50 and 51, respectively. The grooves 58 and 59 slots 47, 48, for example, the surfaces 68 and 69 shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 5 provides separate illustration of the primary front follower 19 of the draft gear yoke assembly 8. This follower comprises a rear plate portion 71 providing front face areas 72 and 73 which normally engage the front draft gear pocket stops 7. The follower has a front abut ment portion 74 extending in bifurcate arrangement forwardly from the plate 71 to provide a pair of arms 77 and 78 and a coupler-engaging surface 75 recessed centrally between the arms 77, 78. The springs 38, 38:: are thus able to urge the yoke 20 (draw member) along with the pin 38 and the coupler 26 forwardly with respect to the front follower to maintain a clearance between the front follower surface 75 and the shank surface 79. As shown in FIG. 2, the surface 75 is spaced, e.g. /8 of an inch from the end surface 79 of the shank 25a. Surface 79 comprises, as shown, a central convex spherically rounded area and shoulders 81 and 82 at opposite sides of the spherical area and the longitudinal axis of the coupler 26. The surface 75 of the front follower provides areas generally complementary to both the spherical area and the shoulders of the shank.

The outer side surfaces 84 and 85 of the arms 77 and '73 are parallel and spaced at substantially the same distance, slightly greater (as shown in FIG. 7) than the full horizontal width of either Wall 44 or 45 of the yoke. The surfaces 84 and 85 are normally in guide relation with vertical parallel lateral webs or panels 87 and 88 of the striker casting 28. The webs 87, 88 terminate rearwardly as the front stops 7 of the draft gear pocket and forwardly as a bell-haped striker housing for a centering mechanism 91 not a part of the present invention.

have rear closed ends as at 61, e.g., which limit movement of the spring seat in a forward direction. The spring seat 55 is of generally U-shape'design to provide a central opening 62 between the legs'63 and 64 thereof. The inner side surfaces of the legs are arcuate to conform to the outer contour of the coil spring 38.

In the assembled draft rigging, upper and lower coil springs 38 and 39 are seated under intitial compression against respective bearing blocks 36, 3'7 and spring seats 55, 56. A shown in FIGS. 7'and 8, a spring 38:: of

smaller diameter may be supported internally of the springs 38 and 39. For example, one end of the spring 33 extends into the opening 62 and the other end extends over the boss 41 of the block 36. The backstop for both spring seats 55, 56 is the front follower 19. At neutral position of the rigging, the follower 19 is held by the cushion 18 firmly against the front stop 7. Hence, the front follower and the spring seat 55, 56 constitute a support which is fixed with respect to the draft gear pocket at such neutral position of the rigging.

- The bearing blocks 36 and 37 are approximately the same width as the spring seats 55, 56. However, they have deeper grooves 66 and 67 than the spring seats so as to receive the wider'tongue sections, e.g., section 59a, of the tongues 50, 51, 52, and 53. FIGS. 7, 9 and 10 illustrate this difference in groove depth. The bearing blocks normally seat against front shoulder surfaces of It should be understood, however, that the centering mechanism 91 is a type known to the art such as that disclosed in United States Pat. No. 3,108,697 issued October 29, 1963.

Such centering mechanisms are provided for the purpose of assuring that a coupler will be centered along the longitudinal car axis during a coupling operation on straight track. Such mechanisms as 91 do not have sufiiciently stiff spring action to function as a car aligning facility with which the present invention is concerned. A centering device such as 91 does have suflicient centering power to defeat efforts to couple cars on curved track and especially any efforts to adjust the coupler to an angled position. The device 91' or other centering device is therefore constructed to permit temporary release of the coupler to an angled position. When the coupler 26 is swung to an angled position as permitted by the present invention, the handle 92 is lifted to disengage parts of the device '91 which normally maintain the device in centering operation.

As shown in FIGS. 5, 7, and 8, the front follower 19 functions as a back stop for the spring seats 55 and 56. The follower 19 is formed with upper and lower recesses 89 and 8911 (FIG. 5) which may be identified in FIG. 7 by shoulder surfaces 90 and 98a. As originally cast, the follower is formed with a recess running the full height centrally of the rear side of the plate 71. The follower is thereafter completed after installation in the yoke by placing a flat bar 93, therein and welding it to the plate 71. As the recesses 89, 8911 can accommodate only about one-half of the height of respective spring seats 55, 56 (see FIG. 8) the bar 93 provides full vertical support for the spring seats at both the top and bottom of the follower 19. Moreover, the bar 93 extends into, and occupies substantially the full width of the slots 47 and 48 and thus may cooperate'in guide relation with the sides of the slots to resist any tendency to lateral movement of the follower in the alignment operation of the rigging.

A structural feature of further interest is that included solely within the structure of the follower 19 and the yoke 44 and 45 comprise four broad ribs 95, 96, 97 and 98 adjacent to and coextensive with tongues 50, 51, 52, and 53 in an arrangement typified by that shown in FIG. 6 in respect to the tongue 56 and the rib 95. As shown in FIG. 6, the rib terminates rearwardly in the same vertical plane as the tongue. This arrangement assures that, in the neutral position of the draft rigging the follower 19 will rest against the rear end surfaces of the ribs and cause the yoke 21?, the pin 30, and the coupler butt 25 to always assume one certain position. FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate vertical and horizontal relationships of the front surface of the follower plate 71 and the rear end surfaces of the ribs 25 and 96.

In a large scale change-over from manually coupled railway equipment to automatic coupling equipment such as contemplated currently in Europe it is necessary at the outset of such a conversion to provide cars that can automatically couple with each other and can also couple with the old type draw-hook type of car. At this initial stage of conversion, the automatic coupling car may be divided into two sub-types: (l) obsolete, soon-to-be-discarded cars of weak center sill construction equipped with short shank automatic couplers; and (2) cars of heavy duty center sill construction including the more valuable old type of cars warranting reconstruction and new cars of original center-buffer construction.

The apparatus herein illustrated and described is concerned with cars of heavy-duty center sill construction. The center sill draft rigging herein described comprises an articulated type of yoke and draft gear assembly which will function as a heavy duty buiiing mechanism when two heavy duty cushions are used therein. It functions as a draw gear only when the front cushion 18 is of the heavy-duty type and the rear cushion 12 is replaced by stand-out springs having a compression strength adequate only for maintaining eiiieient coupling action but not offering substantial bufi'ing force resistance. Such stand-out springs protect the obsolete cars of weak center sill construction retained in service since these cars are incapable of sustaining a substantial center-buff force. Later on, when all of the weak center sill cars are retired the stand-out springs may be replaced with a heavy-duty buffer cushion.

In FIG. 3, a rear cushoning unit 9a is shown which may be substituted for the above described rear unit in the draft gear-and-yoke assembly 8 to render that assembly substantially ineffective as a bufiing force absorber as required in the above described railway conversion. Unit 9a comprises a yoke 15 used also in the unit 9, and a rear follower 14a which may be of lighter construction than follower 14, and a pair of stand-out springs 94 and 94a. The buffing resistance of the unit 9a provided by these springs is intended to be of a low magnitude, e.g. 44% pounds, in order to protect a car of relatively weak central construction that is coupled with the car carrying the apparatus of P16. 1 with substitution therein according to FIG. 3.

Since a car carrying the unit 911 is intended in increasing degree as the conversion period progresses to couple with cars carrying the relatively hard cushioning unit 9 of FIG. 1 or other types of non-articulated heavy-duty buff and draft gears, the apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 3 includes plate-like stops 99 and 99. These stops engage the rear side of the follower 19 as it moves rearwardly during a coupling operation and must limit the compression that the springs 94, 94a undergo during severe coupling action to the side buffers of the parent vehicles. In so limiting the contraction of a draft gear assembly including the unit 9a, the stops upon engagement of the follower 19 therewith cause the center buh'ing system of an opposing car to be brought into play in addition to contemporaneous operation of side bufiers. Moreover, the springs 94, 94a and the supporting structure for the springs is protected. The spacing of the secondary stops 99 and 99 from the follower 19 in its position against the front stops 7 is preferably equal to or greater than the contraction of the entire draft gear afforded by the cushions 12' and 18. When this clearance is maintained, the draft gear of an opposed car using the hard cushion unit 9 in place of the unit 9a does not contract to an extent allowing engagement of the follower 19 with the stops 9? and 99. Apparent also is that the stops function as a guide for the rear follower 21 of the yoke 20, and the front and rear followers of units 9 and 9a. For this reason, the width of units 9 and 9a is conformed to the distance between the stops 99'and 99'.

To facilitate the exchange of units 9 and 9a within an installed draft rigging, the sill 5 is provided with a removable undersupport or plate 50 riveted or otherwise secured to lower flanges of the sill. By removal of the secondary stops 99, 9%, and the draft gear yoke assembly 8, a vehicle is adpated for receiving standard types of single-yoke, non-articulated draft gear assemblies during, e.g., a post conversion period.

FIGS. 11 and 12 illustrate'in plan and elevation, respectively, another embodiment of the invention wherein a draft gear 101 of single cushion construction is contained between a pair of rear stops 102 and a pair of front stops 133. These stops define a draft gear pocket within a center sill 105 of the railway car. The draft gear is encircled by a draw and follower means, i.e., yoke 1136, connected by a pin 107 to a coupler 26 of the type hereinbefore described. The yoke and the coupler are connected in a substantially slack-free connnection but the yoke has sufficient length for its rear transverse portion 1119 to engage the rear follower 110 of the draft gear and, at the same time, hold the rear surface 79 of the coupler at a clearance 112 with a generally complementary surface 113 of a front follower 114.

In the neutral position of the draft rigging shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 wherein there is no substantial buffer draft force on the coupler 26, a spring 116 in a state of initial compression between the rear transverse portion 109 of the yoke and stop means, such as a spring support 117, hold the yoke forwardly against the rear follower to space the coupler from the surface 113 to produce the clearance 112. The support 117 may take the form shown, i.e., as a U-shaped member attached to side walls of the sill 195 and extending therebetween. The clearance 112 is sufiicient to permit such angling of the coupler 26 as is necessary to shift it to desirable positions for coupling on curved track.

FIGS. 13 and 14 illustrate another embodiment of the invention involving couplings which utilize tie bolt construction. The principle of operation is very similar to that by which the embodiment of FIGS. 11 and 12 is operated. FIGS. 13 and 14 are plane and elevation views, respectively, of a draft rigging at neutral position wherein a tie bolt 12h functioning as a draw member, extends centrally through a draft gear 121 disposed between the stops 1 1112 and 103. As a draw member of a draw and follower means, the tie bolt connects a coupler 1-22 to the rear side of a rear follower 123 i.e., the follower member of such means. The coupler 122 is bifurcated with upper and lower shank sections 125 and 126 respectively, providing a vertically intermediate region thereb-etweeri for receiving an eye portion 127 of the tie bolt. The eye portion and the shank sections have bores in registery in which is disposed a connecting pin 128. The tie bolt is of a length permitting rear end surfaces 131 and 132 of the shank sections 125, 126 to be spaced at a clearance 133 when the coupler is supported in nearly axial alignment with the tail bolt and the tail bolt is urged forwardly by the spring 116 seated as described in the next earlier embodiment, against the support 117. It is to be noted that the 1 coupler has rear shoulder surfaces on its upper and lower 7 coupler butt with the front follower. That is to say, vehicle alignment control between adjacent vehicles arises when buffing forces are exerted by the couplers on respective cars; and are of sufficient magnitude to close respective clearances 133.

The terms and expressions which have been employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation and there is no intent-ion of excluding such equivalents of the invention described, or of the portions thereof, as fall' Within the purview of the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A draft rigging for a railway car comprising:

(A) a draft gear pocket having front and rear stops;

(B) a draft gear contained in said pocket comprising:

(1) a front unit having (a) a first front follower normally in engagement with said front stops,

(b) a cushion rear-wardly juxtaposed to said follower,

(c) a front yoke encircling said cushion and follower and having a head disposed frontwardly of said follower, and

(2) a rear unit having (a) a rear follower normally in engagement with said rear stops, 7

(b) a second cushion frontwardly juxtaposed to the. rear follower, and

(c) a rear yoke encircling the rear follower and the second cushion in engageable relation with said rear follower and the rear surface of the front yoke;

(C) a coupler comprising a head and a shank rearwardly having an end surface defining rearwardfacing shoulders spaced at opposite sides of a longitudinal axis of the coupler;

said coupler shank extending into'said yoke head and into adjacent relation with opposed frontfacing areas of the front follower;

(D) pivot means extending along a substantially vertrical axis through the shank and the yokehead pivotally connecting the coupler and yoke; and" said pivot means and said shank being movable relative to said yoke headin the longitudinal direction of the yoke to an extent providing a a predetermined clearance between said shoulders and said areas at the fully extended condition of the draft gear within said pocket.

2. The draft rigging of claim 1 wherein:

said front yoke has bottom and top longitudinal walls merging in said head, each wall having a slot elongated in the longitudinal direction of the yoke;

said front follower is slidably disposed between said walls with an upper projection thereof extending into the upper wall slot and a lower projection extending into the lower wall slot;

said pivot means comprises a pin normally engaging forward end surfaces of both slots and extending through a bore therefor in said shank; and

said rigging comprises a compression spring and spring seat means at each end of the spring disposed in each slot between the pin and the projection received in said slot.

3. The draft rigging of claim 2 wherein: 7

said front yoke has rearward facing stops for limiting frontward movement of the front follower;

and said front unit cushion and said spring. are normally in a condition of initial compression thereagainst. Y 4. The draft rigging of claim 3 wherein:

said front stops within the front yoke face rearwardly V I a a S the length of said abutment spaces said projections rearwardly of said pin to receive said springs and spring seating means therebetween.

6. The draft rigging of claim 5 comprising:

horizontally opposed panels extending forwardly in parallel spaced relationship from, and in fixed relationship with, said front stops;

said follower abutment having opposite parallel side surfaces in guide relation with said panels.

'7. The draft rigging of claim 2 wherein:

said spring seat means in each slot comprises:

(1) a U-shaped block defining parallel legs between which one end portion of one of said springs is received;

the sides of the legs outwardly from said spring portion receiving region having grooves extending longitudinally lengthwise of the block;

(2) a bearing having an arcuate front surface for engaging the pin and a rear surface for engaging the spring, and front-to-rearward extending grooves in its opposite side surfaces;

said top and bottom walls of said front yoke comprise tongues along each side of its respective slot projecting horizontally inwardly of the slot to be received in said grooves, and extending from the front end of the slot rearwardly into adjacent relation with one of said projections of the front follower at the position thereof corresponding to neutral condition of the rigging.

8. The draft rigging of claim 1 comprising:

(A) secondary stops for the front follower spaced rearwardly of said front follower when engaged with said front stops; 7

said secondary stops spaced relative to the front stops to define a range of movement of the front follower at least equal to the contraction range of said entire draft gear acting as an independent bufiing gear.

9. The draft rigging of claim 1 comprising:

(A) a pair of secondary stops fixed to opposite lateral walls of said pocket rearwardly of said front follower when engaged with said front stops said front yoke, having a rear portion and said rear yoke having a front portion fitting between the secondary stops in guide relation therewith;

said secondary stops spaced relative to the front stops to define a range of movement of the front follower at least equal to the contraction range of said entire draft gear acting as an independent buffing gear; 7

(B) detachable undersupport means for said rear unit facilitating installation and removal of the rear unit independently of other parts of said rigging.

10. The draft rigging of claim 1 comprising:

(A) a pair of secondary walls fixed to opposite lateral walls of said pocket rearwardly of said front follower when engaged with said front stops;

said front yoke having a rear portion and said rear yoke having a front portion fitting between the secondary stops in lengthwise guide relation therewith; said secondary stops spaced relative to the front stops to define a range of movement of the front follower at least equal to the contraction range of said entire draft gear acting as an independent buffing gear;

(B) detachable undersupport means for said rear unit facilitating installation and removal of this rear unit independently of other parts of said rigging;

' (C) a heavy duty type buffer unit for use as said rear unit; and

(D) an easily compressible cushioning unit permitting movement of the front follower into engagement with the secondary stops for use as said rear unit and interchangeable with said heavy duty unit.

11. A draft rigging for a railway car comprising:

(A) a draft gear pocket having front and rear stops;

(B) a draft gear contained in said pocket comprising (1) a front unit having (a) a front follower normally in engagement with said front stops,

(b) a cushion rearwardly juxtaposed to said follower;

(c) a front yoke encircling said cushion and follower and having a head disposed frontwardly of said follower and opening frontwardly, and

(2) a rear unit having (a) a rear follower normally in engagement with said rear stops,

(9) a second cushion frontwardly juxtaposed to the rear follower, and

(c) a rear yoke encircling the rear follower and the second cushion in engageable relation with said rear follower and the rear surface of the front yoke;

(C) the coupler comprising a head and a shank extending rearwardly thereof into said yoke head, said coupler having an end surface in rearward driving relation with said front follower;

(D) pivot means connecting the shank and the yoke head;

said shank being movable longitudinally relative to said yoke to move said front follower rearwardly within the yoke in compressing said first cushion;

(E) secondary stops for the front follower spaced rearwardly of said front follower when engaged with said front stops;

said secondary stops spaced relative to the front stops to define a range of movement of the front follower at least equal to the contraction range of said draft gear in its entirety acting as an independent buffing gear; and

(F) undersupport means for said rear unit detachable from said pocket for facilitating installation and removal of the rear unit independently of other parts of said rigging.

12. The draft rigging of claim 11 wherein:

said secondary stops extend along opposite lateral walls of said pocket in parallel relation rearwardly to said rear stops; and

said rear unit and the rear portion of said front yoke fit between said secondary stops in guide relation therewith.

13. The draft rigging of claim 12 comprising:

(A) horizontally opposed spaced panels extending forwardly in parallel relation from, and in fixed relationship with said front stops;

said front follower having a bifurcate abutment extending forwardly from its front facing stop engaging surfaces, said abutment comprising two horizontally spaced legs in guide relation with said panels and defining therebetween a front facing surface for engaging the rear end surface of the coupler shank;

said front yoke having a length providing a clearance between said rear end surface and said front-facing abutment surface; and

(B) resilient means reacting between the front yoke and the coupler to hold the coupler and the abutment at said clearance.

14. A draft rigging for a railway car, as defined in respect toits neutral position corresponding to an un coupled condition of the coupler thereof, comprising:

(A) a draft gear pocket in the car having front stops;

(B) a coupler comprising a head, and a shank extending rearwardly thereof; the shank having a rear 16 end surface defining shoulders spaced at opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the coupler;

(C) an assembly comprising:

(1) a draft gear contained in said pocket and having a front follower engaging the front stops, and a cushion in rearward juxtaposed relation with the follower;

(2) draw and follower means pivotally connected with a rear end portion of the shank and extending rearwardly into connecting relation with a rear portion of the cushion to effect compression thereof in forward movements of the draw and follower means relative to said pocket;

(D) a support;

(E) resilient means disposed between the draw and follower means and said support for maintaining said draw and follower means forwardly relative to said cushion;

(F) means for maintaining said support in fixed relation with the draft gear pocket at said neutral position;

said draw and follower means being of a length disposing said shoulders in frontwardly spaced relation and predetermined clearance with opposed front facing surfaces of the front follower when the draw and follower means is disposed in its forwardmost position relative to said cushion at said neutral position.

15. The draft rigging of claim 14 wherein:

(A) said pocket has rear stops and said draw and follower means comprises a follower member in engagement with said rear stops and a draw member of said means is loosely connected therewith;

(B) said support is disposed in fixed rearward relation with said pocket; and

(C) said resilient means comprises a cushioning device disposed in a state of initial compression between the draw member and the support.

15. The draft rigging of claim 14 wherein: said support comprises rear stops defining the rear extremity of the pocket; and said resilient means comprises a cushioning device disposed between the rear stops and the draw and follower means.

17. The draft rigging of claim 14 wherein:

(A) said support comprises rear stops defining the rear extremity of the pocket; and

(B) said resilient means comprises a cushioning unit disposed between the rear stops and said draw and follower means comprising:

(1) a rear cushion;

(2) a rear follower engaging said rear stops; and

(3) a rear yoke having an integral front follower encircling said rear cushion and said rear follower; said cushioning unit in its fully expanded condition engaging said draw and follower means to an extent maintaining said front follower in engagement with said front stops and said clearance of said shoulders with the front follower.

18. The draft rigging of claim 14 comprising:

(A) pivot means connecting said shank with the draw and follower means in limited forward to rearward guide relationship whereby the coupler and the pivot means may move rearwardly relative to said draw and follower means to close saidclearance;

(B) said front follower comprises said support;

(C) said resilient means stands between the front follower and an assembly comprising said pivot means and the coupler for urging said assembly forwardly relative to the draw gear; and

means including said cushion holding said follower against the front stops.

19. The draft rigging of claim 14 wherein:

(A) said pocket has rear stops;

(B) said support is disposed in fixed relation with the pocket rearwardly of the rear stops;

(C) said draw and foilower means comprises a follower member resting against said rear stops, a yoke encircling said cushion defining a front head for receiving said shank portion, and a generally vertical pin in bearing relation with the yoke head and the shank; and

(D) said resilient means comprises a spring of substantially less compressive strength than the cushion and in a state of initial compression between said yoke and the support.

20. A draft rigging of claim 14 wherein:

(A) said pocket has rear stops;

(B) said support is disposed rearwardly of the rear stops in fixed relation with said pocket;

(C) said draw and follower means comprises a follower member resting against said rear, stops; and a tail bolt extending central and longitudinally through the draft gear connecting with the follower member;

pin extending through said shank sections and said eye sections to efiect pivotal connection therebetween.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Page 21346 Metzger. V

Blattner 213-46 Pelikan 213-64 X Winther 21367 X Blattner 213-46 EUGENE G. BOTZ, Primary Examiner.

2O LEO QUACKENBUSH, Examiner. 

1. A DRAFT RIGGING FOR A RAILWAY CAR COMPRISING: (A) A DRAFT GEAR POCKET HAVING FRONT AND REAR STOPS; (B) A DRAFT GEAR CONTAINED IN SAID POCKET COMPRISING: (1) A FRONT UNIT HAVING (A) A FIRST FRONT FOLLOWR NORMALLY IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID FRONT STOPS, (B) A CUSHION REARWARDLY JUXTAPOSED TO SAID FOLLOWER, (C) A FRONT YOKE ENCIRCLING SAID CUSHION AND FOLLOWER AND HAVING A HEAD DISPOSED FRONTWARDLY OF SAID FOLLOWER, AND (2) A REAR UNIT HAVING (A) A REAR FOLLOWER NORMALLY IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID REAR STOPS, (B) A SECOND CUSHION FRONTWARDLY JUXTAPOSED TO THE REAR FOLLOWER, AND (C) A REAR YOKE ENCIRCLING THE REAR FOLLOWER AND THE SECOND CUSHION IN ENGAGEABLE RELATION WITH SAID REAR FOLLOWER AND THE REAR SURFACE OF THE FRONT YOKE; (C) A COUPLER COMPRISING A HEAD AND A SHANK REARWARDLY HAVING AN END SURFACE DEFINING REARWARDFACING SHOULDERS SPACED AT OPPOSITE SIDES OF A LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE COUPLER; SAID COUPLER SHANK EXTENDING INTO SAID YOKE HEAD AND INTO ADJACENT RELATION WITH OPPOSED FRONTFACING AREAS OF THE FRONT FOLLOWER; (D) PIVOT MEANS EXTENDING ALONG A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL AXIS THROUGH THE SHANK AND THE YOKE HEAD PIVOTALLY CONNECTING THE COUPLER AND YOKE; AND SAID PIVOT MEANS AND SAID SHANK BEING MOVABLE RELATIVE TO SAID YOKE HEAD IN THE LONGITUDINAL DIRECTION OF THE YOKE TO AN EXTENT PROVIDING A PREDETERMINED CLEARANCE BETWEEN SAID SHOULDERS AND SAID AREAS AT THE FULLY EXTENDED CONDITION OF THE DRAFT GEAR WITHIN SAID POCKET. 